Single Review: Kenny Chesney, “The Boys of Fall”

Chesney’s made a career out of nostalgia trips like this one. Here, he’s reminiscing for the glory of being on the high school football team. He’s been down this road before, more times than I can count at this point.

But I dare say this one’s just a little different. Chesney sounds older, much older. Not wiser, mind you. Just older.

This is not a man singing about the glory days of youth while he settles down and starts a family. This sounds more like a man who has entered his forties and nothing has come along since those high school days to give his life meaning.

It’s a sad record. The melancholy is palpable. Chesney sounds defeated and depressed.

I grew up in Western Pennsylvania which is a hot bed for high school football talent. Its a religion to us all. Friday nights are the most incredible feeling stepping on to that field in front of 7,000 people in a sell out high school football stadium. This song paints a perfect picture of what life is like there. The old timers still talk about that rival game or that 4th and 19 passing play to go to state. The closing of stores with “Gone to State” placed on the doors. The signs leading up to the high school staidum of all the players numbers and encouragement. Its a community and small town thing. The parade of police cars and fire trucks leading the bus back to the high school after winning states. Trust me, if you have ever been surrounded by this type of emotion, this song hits home and boy is it a good one.

I am an unashamed KC fan — his voice always speaks to me, and frequently even the songs I don’t initially love tend to grow on me (‘Out Last Night’ is a good example of a silly song that I have come to really enjoy).

Just listening to this one for the first time, and it really is melancholy. Most of his nostalgia songs have a sense of upbeat to them, but this one really does sound sad. While it’s certainly not at that level, there’s a very Bruce ‘Glory Days’ feel.